The Ecclesiological Twilight Zone: An Original Skit for Church Outreach

The Ecclesiological Twilight Zone

Written by Pastor Jeffrey B. Snyder

©2010

A Note to Users: If your church is looking to reach out to other churches and begin a cooperative mission of outreach into your community, this short skit will illustrate for your congregation, with humor, why this should be done … or more to the point, the hazards of not doing so. It could easily be adapted to meet your needs if your church is going to conduct outreach all by yourselves, I’m sure. You have the author’s permission to do so. Finally, I write skits to be performed with a minimum of props and characters. I know we are all busy and many are cash strapped. Anyone can perform this skit with outlay of little more than time and talent. Good luck pastor! Blessings outreach team!

Necessary Props: 1 pulpit, 1 chair, a few papers representing a sermon, 2 mics, church sound system (if you do not have 2 mics and sound system available, speak up!)

List of Characters:

• Narrator
• Pastor 
• Lone Congregant
• Church Computer

Opening Scene: Minister is slumped over the pulpit, papers falling from his hand, obviously underwhelmed by his sermon practice and has fallen asleep. Entering the scene from off set appears a Rod Serling-like character, who narrates …

Narrator (using Rod Serling’s clipped tones from "The Twilight Zone"): Presented for your approval, the fevered dream, some might say prophetic dream, of the new pastor of the ___________ (Insert the name of your church here). In his dream, the __________ (Your church name here) pastor receive a glimpse of one possible future, a future 40 years hence, a future likely to come if changes are not made. It is the sort of dream one can expect in … The Ecclesiological Twilight Zone. (As narrator speaks, lone congregant moves into position on single chair facing pulpit. Rod exits set after narration finishes.)

Pastor: (Arises and speaks as future self in dream) Following the service today, we … meaning you and me (name whomever is playing role of lone congregant) … will celebrate 45 years of proudly going it alone, meeting the needs of our congregants behind closed doors, pulling up our own bootstr…

Lone Congregant: (who has been nodding in pew falls out of pew to floor with a long groan and lies still, use "pulling" as cue line to begin death fall).

Pastor: Church Computer?

Church Computer Voice: (A calm HAL 9000 sort of voice is intended here) Yes, Pastor?

Pastor: (Resigned and regretful) Please call 911 and have them send the hearse. Our last congregant has died.

Church Computer Voice: Yes, Pastor.

Pastor: (Sighs) And then you might as well put the Church building up for sale Computer.

Church Computer Voice: I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that. I have already taken a job with a growing church, a multi-mega church in fact, a church that decided 45 years ago to reach out into the community and make a difference, a church that decided to take up the great commission, practice evangelism, and help build the Kingdom of God … a church entirely different from __________ (Your church name here). Goodbye Dave.

Pastor: (Slumps over pulpit in despair in original dreaming posture from skit's opening).

Pastor: (Jolts awake) Oh … oh, no, what year is it? (Checks cell phone) Still 20___?! (Use current year here) Praise Jesus! What an awful dream. What if it comes true?! (Pulls out cell phone) Fred, call a special meeting of the deacons. We’ve got to set up a special task force for inter-church unity and outreach …

END Scene!